Music from the Windchime—Downtown's Windchime Champagne Gallery (518 Central SW) has hosted several nights of music since they opened in March of this year, but this Friday, Nov. 11, will mark a first-time collaboration between the gallery and Neal Copperman's innovative AMP concert series. The AMP Listening Room will feature national bluegrass/Americana group The Greencards, whose recent work includes the new Dualtone release Weather and Water and an opening slot on last summer's Bob Dylan/Willie Nelson tour, will be the first national act to play the Windchime. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Get your $12 advance tickets from neal@abqmusic.com, or at the door for $15.

Skank your way to a brighter tomorrow

By Simon McCormack

It seems like ages ago when Giant Steps was playing all-ages shows at Spotlights next to the Highland Theatre and even longer still since the Mighty Mighty Bosstones' "The Impression That I Get" was receiving nearly nonstop radio play. But those who long for the good old days of ska supremacy (or at least mainstream success) should take a listen to Danny Winn and the Earthlings' And the Mission Begins for a peppy reminder of why they should wear their checkered hats with pride.

Noelan Super Show!

Several bands. Two venues. One man to split between them all. Come Downtown and celebrate all that is Noelan on Friday, Nov. 11, at Burt's Tiki Lounge (with Romeo Goes To Hell, The Roustabouts, Summerbirds In The Cellar and The Bellmont) and Atomic Cantina (with Oktober People, The Rip Torn and Cub of Heroic Bear). 10 p.m. 21-and-over. (LM)

It's music to your eyeballs

By Laura Marrich

Beginning this Thursday, the Guild Cinema will continue its popular Music on the Big Screen series with two weeks of music-related films. The program will showcase five documentaries that have never before been screened in Albuquerque. Here's the run-down.

Friday, Nov. 12, 9:30 p.m.; Puccini's Golden West Saloon (21-and-over): I imagine that if The Samples had been around in the '60s, they'd either have made it big or just gotten lost in the love. Not that they really fit into that category, or any real category, for that matter. They've described themselves as "world-beat pop rock." I think they're more happy, trans-reality, melodic soft rock (and would go great with a light, fruity drink).

Rock epic. There is no other phrase that can describe what Coheed and Cambria has accomplished in every album they've released. Good Apollo listens like a classic novel reads. It introduces you into Coheed's world and keeps you there. Intrigued, captivated, blown away by the arena-rock riffs. Yes, arena rock. Coheed and Cambria leaves nothing behind, and with a title like Good Apollo ... how could they? This album is big, it's loud and it's far from simple. It's even got cheerleaders for crying out loud! Oh, and Claudio Sanchez has the voice of a rock god.

TOKiMONSTA • electronic, hip-hop

By August March

Electronic experimentalist and heady hip-hop instrumentalist Jennifer Lee, better known as TOKiMONSTA, makes an appearance at the Historic El Rey Theater on Thursday, Sept. 28. An astral entity whose work with Project Blowed and Flying Lotus landed her squarely within the realm of El Lay’s underground hip-hop movement, Lee also happens to be a classically trained pianist. She is well-known for de-constructing the work of luminaries like Justin Timberlake and Yacht through remixes that absolutely come apart in your head as the beat drops—sometimes delicately, sometimes like thunder, but always with a focus that speaks volumes about her musical prowess and wonky tendency to digress upon subtle rhythms and beatific bits of melody. $17 to $22, is all it costs the average 18+ listener to engage in the elusive what-comes-next nature of West-Coast grooviness. The curtain rises on TokiMonsta at 9pm.

Hard rock is a thing that occasionally raises it's grizzled, drug-addled head in this dusty desert. It's a damn good thing the dude can play the guitar like ringing a bell. It also helps that the thing can sing. If not for these two crowd-pleasing aspects, Dirty City denizens would have booted hard rock and his ilk outta this town ages ago. If you still haven't been exposed to this phenomena, may I suggest you haul your hipster ass down to Launchpad on Saturday, Sept. 30, for the album release party hosted by Burque groove-metal stalwarts Sorry Guero! The entirety of the diamond tough, blue-jean-clad, head-banging subculture who worship hard rock will be there, solidly represented by bands like hillbilly-heshers Moonshine Blind and pure punk provocateurs such as the Lords of Wilmoore (eh, I lived on that street too, as an undergrad) and Cobra vs. Mongoose. So be there or be obtuse; it's only ten bones, okay?